SynthesisNature genetics2018
Gene discovery and polygenic prediction from a genome-wide association study of educational attainment in 1.1 million individuals.
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In one paragraph
Synthesis in Nature genetics, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1,319 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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1,319citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
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Who cites it
1,319 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Genome-wide association studies of infant and toddler temperament in European and multi-ancestry populations.Nature human behaviour · 2026Pooled it
- Genome wide association study meta-analysis of neuropathologic lesions of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in a multi-site autopsy cohort.PLoS genetics · 2026Pooled it
- Genetic landscape of adult executive function reveals a cell-type-specific developmental origin.Nature communications · 2026Pooled it
- Genome-wide meta-analyses of non-response to antidepressants provide insights into underlying molecular genetics and suggest potential pharmacotherapies.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Genome-wide association study provides insights into the genetic basis of Lewy body dementia.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Genome-wide association meta-analysis and rare copy number variant analysis of treatment-resistant depression.Molecular psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Dissecting Schizophrenia Biology Using Pleiotropy With Cognitive Genomics.Biological psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- A contextual genomic perspective on physical activity and its relationship to health, well being and illness.Nature genetics · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Multi-ancestry genome-wide association analyses incorporating SNP-by-psychosocial interactions identify novel loci for serum lipids.Translational psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Influence of omega-3 fatty acids on post-traumatic stress disorder: prospective cohort study and Mendelian randomisation findings.European journal of psychotraumatology · 2026Article
- Imputation of fluid intelligence scores reduces ascertainment bias and increases power for analyses of common and rare variants.Nature genetics · 2026Article
- Population-Stratified Human Genetic Studies Are Not Eugenics: A Response to Donohue and Myles.Bioethics · 2026Article
- Role of Polygenic Risk Scores in Predicting Cognitive Functioning after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study.Journal of neurotrauma · 2026Article
- Neural Cell Models of Specific Reading Disabilities: Identification of Cellular and Transcriptome Alterations.Genes, brain, and behavior · 2026Article
- Age at Autism Diagnosis in the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa): Exploring the Association With Family Well-Being.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2026Article
- Disorder-specific and shared genetic architecture underlying schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026Article
- Genetics of Educational Attainment and Childhood Problem Behavior: Direct Genetic Effects, Cognitive Pathways, and Sex Differences.Behavior genetics · 2026Article
- Early-childhood temperament trajectories map onto transdiagnostic psychiatric risk.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Article
- The contribution of common and rare genetic variation to emotional and behavioural symptoms in childhood and adolescence.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Article
1,259 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
80 authors.
James J LeeDepartment of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6547-5128
Robbee WedowDepartment of Sociology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3108-7087
Aysu OkbayDepartment of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.okbay@vu.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5170-7781
Edward KongDepartment of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Omeed MaghzianDepartment of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Meghan ZacherDepartment of Sociology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Tuan Anh Nguyen-VietCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Peter BowersDepartment of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Julia SidorenkoInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Richard Karlsson LinnérDepartment of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Mark Alan FontanaCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Tushar KunduCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Chanwook LeeDepartment of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Hui LiDepartment of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Ruoxi LiCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Rebecca RoyerCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Pascal N TimshelThe Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section of Metabolic Genetics, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Raymond K WaltersAnalytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8422-6530
Emily A WilloughbyDepartment of Psychology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Loïc YengoInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
23andMe Research Team
COGENT (Cognitive Genomics Consortium)
Social Science Genetic Association Consortium
Maris AlverEstonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Yanchun BaoInstitute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
David W ClarkCentre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Felix R DayMRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3789-7651
Nicholas A Furlotte23andMe, Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA.
Peter K JoshiCentre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6361-5059
Kathryn E KemperInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9288-4522
Aaron Kleinman23andMe, Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA.
Claudia LangenbergMRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Reedik MägiEstonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Joey W TrampushBrainWorkup, LLC, Santa Monica, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0830-508X
Shefali Setia VermaDepartment of Biomedical and Translational Informatics, Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA, USA.
Yang WuInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0128-7280
Max LamInstitute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore.
Jing Hua ZhaoMRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Zhili ZhengInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Jason D BoardmanDepartment of Sociology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
Harry CampbellCentre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Jeremy FreeseDepartment of Sociology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Kathleen Mullan HarrisDepartment of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Caroline HaywardMRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9405-9550
Pamela HerdInstitute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Meena KumariInstitute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Todd LenczDepartments of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA.
Jian'an LuanMRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Anil K MalhotraDepartments of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA.
Andres MetspaluEstonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Lili MilaniEstonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5323-3102
Ken K OngMRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4689-7530
John R B PerryMRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
David J PorteousCentre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Marylyn D RitchieDepartment of Biomedical and Translational Informatics, Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1208-1720
Melissa C SmartCentre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Blair H SmithDivision of Population Health Sciences, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5362-9430
Joyce Y Tung23andMe, Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA.
Nicholas J WarehamMRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
James F WilsonCentre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5751-9178
Jonathan P BeauchampDepartment of Economics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4935-4016
Dalton C ConleyDepartment of Sociology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
Tõnu EskoEstonian Genome Center, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Steven F LehrerSchool of Policy Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Patrik K E MagnussonDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7315-7899
Sven OskarssonDepartment of Government, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Tune H PersThe Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section of Metabolic Genetics, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Matthew R RobinsonInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Kevin ThomDepartment of Economics, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
Chelsea WatsonCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Christopher F ChabrisAutism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, Lewisburg, PA, USA.
Michelle N MeyerCenter for Translational Bioethics and Health Care Policy, Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA, USA.
David I LaibsonDepartment of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Jian YangInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2001-2474
Magnus JohannessonDepartment of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8759-6393
Philipp D KoellingerDepartment of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Patrick TurleyAnalytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Peter M VisscherInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. peter.visscher@uq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2143-8760
Daniel J BenjaminCenter for Economic and Social Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. daniel.benjamin@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2642-5416
David CesariniNational Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Funding
Understanding and Improving Healthcare Decision-Making and Outcomes for People Living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related DementiasP01AG005842 · NIA · NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH · PI KOSALI ILAYPERUMA SIMON · 1986 to 2026
$56.5MSUPPLEMENT TO RUSH ALZHEIMERS DISEASE CENTER COREP30AG010161 · NIA · RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI LEURGANS, SUE E. · 1991 to 2020
$49.1MNBER Center for Aging and Health Research-Post COVID-19 Experiences Among Adults with ADRDP30AG012810 · NIA · NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH · PI DAVID M CUTLER · 1999 to 2026
$24.6MRISK FACTORS, PATHOLOGY, AND CLINICAL EXPRESSIONS OF ADR01AG015819 · NIA · RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI BENNETT, DAVID ALAN · 1998 to 2024
$21.4MNBER Training Program in Aging and Health EconomicsT32AG000186 · NIA · NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH · PI CUTLER, DAVID M, FINKELSTEIN, AMY N. · 1989 to 2024
$9.6MResearch Services CoreP2CHD050924 · NICHD · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI KAREN B GUZZO · 2015 to 2026
$9.6MUniversity of Colorado Population CenterP2CHD066613 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO · PI JANE A MENKEN · 2015 to 2026
$3.7MAdd Health: A Genotype and Phenotype Resource for the Global Scientific CommunityR01HD073342 · NICHD · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI HARRIS, KATHLEEN MULLAN · 2012 to 2016
$3.6MGenome-Wide Analyses of Health and Well-Being PhenotypesR01AG042568 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI BENJAMIN, DANIEL J · 2015 to 2021
$2.8MScientific and Technical Computing CoreP2CHD047879 · NICHD · PRINCETON UNIVERSITY · PI SALGANIK, MATTHEW J. · 2014 to 2018
$2.0MCharacterizing disparities in late-onset Alzheimer's disease risk through polygenic risk and epidemiologic factors in the Health and Retirement SurveyR01AG055406 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI BAKULSKI, KELLY, WARE, ERIN BAKSHIS · 2017 to 2020
$1.7MBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BB/F019394/1Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BB/F022441/1European Research Council 647648Medical Research Council G0100594Medical Research Council G0600237Medical Research Council G0901461Medical Research Council G1001799Medical Research Council MC_UU_00007/10Medical Research Council MC_UU_12013/4Medical Research Council MC_UU_12015/1Medical Research Council MC_UU_12015/2Medical Research Council MR/K026992/1Medical Research Council MR/N01104X/2NIA NIH HHS P01 AG005842NIA NIH HHS P30 AG010161NIA NIH HHS P30 AG012810NIA NIH HHS R01 AG015819NIA NIH HHS R01 AG042568NIA NIH HHS R01 AG055406NIA NIH HHS T32 AG000186NICHD NIH HHS P2C HD047879NICHD NIH HHS P2C HD050924NICHD NIH HHS P2C HD066613NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD073342NIMH NIH HHS L30 MH104879Wellcome Trust
Abstract
Here we conducted a large-scale genetic association analysis of educational attainment in a sample of approximately 1.1 million individuals and identify 1,271 independent genome-wide-significant SNPs. For the SNPs taken together, we found evidence of heterogeneous effects across environments. The SNPs implicate genes involved in brain-development processes and neuron-to-neuron communication. In a separate analysis of the X chromosome, we identify 10 independent genome-wide-significant SNPs and estimate a SNP heritability of around 0.3% in both men and women, consistent with partial dosage compensation. A joint (multi-phenotype) analysis of educational attainment and three related cognitive phenotypes generates polygenic scores that explain 11-13% of the variance in educational attainment and 7-10% of the variance in cognitive performance. This prediction accuracy substantially increases the utility of polygenic scores as tools in research.
Indexed as
Multifactorial InheritanceAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesEducational StatusFemaleGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMiddle AgedPhenotypePolymorphism, Single Nucleotide
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